Almost half of school children aged 11 to 17 have committed a crime, according to a major study of young people's behaviour published today.

Almost half of school children aged 11 to 17 have committed a crime, according to a major study of young people's behaviour published today.

The survey also revealed the extent of alcohol abuse among youngsters, with four out of 10 students in Year 10 revealing they had "binged" on drink.

Researchers from the Communities that Care organisation found 48.5pc of those interviewed said they had broken the law at some stage in their lives.

Violence, including weapon-carrying and fights, are an "acknowledged part of life" for a significant number of young people, especially boys.

One in five boys aged 15 to 16 admitted attacking someone with the intention of seriously hurting them.

And researchers for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found one in 10 boys aged 11 to 12 admitted carrying a knife or other weapon in the previous year, rising to one in four by Year 11.

Cannabis had been used by 30pc of Year 11 boys and a quarter of girls, but frequent use was much lower - 9pc of boys and 5pc of girls said they had used the drug three or more times in the previous month.

"The proportion of young men who felt it was necessary or justified to carry a weapon is a great worry," said co-author Barry Anderson. "The levels of drinking, too, were a surprise. Young people said drinking was more socially acceptable than smoking.

"The survey points to large numbers of young people - by far the majority in most respects - leading lives where law-breaking and other antisocial behaviour are very much the exception, rather than the rule."